Cyclones Voted Fifth in Big 12 Preseason Poll

The Big 12 released its preseason poll Thursday morning, and Iowa State has been picked to finish right in the middle

Many national outlets have projected Iowa State as a preseason top-15 team, but the Cyclones will need to prove it to some people if the Big 12's preseason poll says anything.

Fresh off a 28-8 season in which the Cyclones won the Big 12 Championship and advanced to the Sweet 16, the Big 12 preseason poll released Thursday — which is voted on by league coaches — has Iowa State slotted to finish fifth in the conference.

Iowa State will enter the 2014-15 season without two key contributors from a season ago in Melvin Ejim and DeAndre Kane, but the Cyclones do add transfers Bryce Dejean-Jones, Jameel McKay and Abdel Nader in addition to returning Georges Niang, Dustin Hogue and Monte Morris among others.

Three teams — Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma — recieved first-place votes. Iowa State, which was picked to finish fourth in the league last season, has finished in better position than it has been projected to in three straight seasons.